In April, the Canadian Government announced the extension of off-campus work duration for international students from 20+ hours to 24 hours per week. This has raised some eyebrows, but still, a lot of people want to study in Canada. In the year 2022, 807,260 international students were admitted to the country; however, the Visa rejection rate stands at 40-50%. One of the main reasons is SOP. In this blog, let's look into how to draft an SOP for Canada to get quick acceptance.
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If you’re beginning your journey to study abroad in Canada, then you might have started the preparation long before, right? If not, this blog how to apply for study abroad can help you out! However, if you are just struggling with drafting the ideal SOP for Canada, then you're at the right place for the best assistance from the top experts. So, let's start with the basics.
Statement of Purpose is the SOP full form in Visa process. It is a piece of writing which will justify your visit to the country. The SOP is an essay drafted by students who want to get admission into any global university to pursue any program in that country. It highlights their academic and professional achievements. SOP includes the career goals, ambitions, inspiration, and the reason for choosing this particular country, college, and course.
This piece of document is handwritten and ranges around 800-1500 words. It must be submitted to the admission and immigration officials. In case you are drafting an SOP for Canada study Visa, the student is required to prepare 2 SOP for each committee, and he can also share the same with them. The committee will look into this 2-page write-up and confirm if the student is capable of getting admission into the preferred program in the country. They will analyze and decide if you’re better than the applicants and can join the program or not.
When you want to study in Canada, you need to draft an SOP that is as per this country's requirements. There are two categories of SOPs that are applicable when it comes to studying in Canada, and they are:
As the name suggests, this is applicable to students who want to study in Canada, and it is based on the type of degree the student is pursuing and the university where he wants to pursue his degree. In this SOP for Canada student Visa type, the applicant must draft an essay that convinces the committee that he is the best fit for the institution. The applicant must include details like why he wants to study at that particular university, enrol in that specific course, and how he can help in the research programs. It includes:
The other type of SOP for student visas is when the essay is written for the immigration committee, convincing them of your purpose of visit. This type of write-up focuses on why you want to study in their country, how you won't exploit their country's resources when you return from their country, and what your career path will be after your education. The applicant must draft a simple, aimed piece of writing that justifies why he needs to complete this degree, how he admires this country, and his love for his own country to return home after completing the study purpose.
The SOP is important paperwork for any student who wants to study abroad in Canada because it has a broad purpose, as stated below:
The next important pointer to note is the writing process of the SOP for Canada. Before you start drafting your SOP, you need to understand its requirements and guidelines. So, let us begin from that:
If you are planning to draft this piece for your study in Canada, then you need to note some pointers. These are the basic guidelines or requirements you need to meet when drafting a statement of purpose. Other than these, there might be other university-specific guidelines that you need to follow. But, irrespective of university conditions, the guidelines that need to be met are:
Now that you are clear with the guidelines for your SOP, it's time you look into the format of it. So, here is a simple yet effective structure that every applicant must follow when penning down their SOP for study abroad in Canada:
This is the first and foremost section of your essay. This is like the face of your document and thus should be appealing to hold the reader's attention for a longer period. The introduction should be clear and state the aim of the piece in a simple and understandable manner. It includes:
This is the second section of the essay, where the applicant shares his personal information. It includes the full name, family background, and morals and skills developed through the family. The main interest of the committee is in the applicant rather than the family but they also want to know the roots of the skills and values to ensure the student is reliable and brought up well with good culture.
The next section in the format is the academic background, where the applicant needs to focus the committee's attention on his education. This can start with the percentage and board of education. It can then also cover the training and certifications done by the applicant in support of his education, along with any research or paperwork. The applicant can also add co-curricular activities he participated in and his achievements to make a good impression and reflect his multi-tasking skills.
The applicant should then draft a section on the professional experience. If the SOP requires the student to include this section depending on the chosen degree, then it is mandatory to attempt this. In this section, one needs to emphasize their professional achievements. This includes the years of experience in any internship or job along with other certifications or achievements gained during that period. This also counts if any skill, personality development, or any other such workshops are attended by the applicant. The applicant must show his set path for his career in this section of the essay.
The next section in the format is where the applicant puts the reasons for picking the course. This section is to justify and convince the committee of your reason for picking this particular course out of all available options. You can talk about your previous learnings and about your future goals that align with this course. The main reason behind this section is to understand why you want to pursue this course- out of zeal to learn or just for the sake of doing. And you need to be strong with your motive to convince them.
The following section is similar to the previous one except for the fact that here, you need to talk about the university or college you applied for instead of the course. The main motive here is to understand why you want to study here while there are many other options. Again, the committee wants to know if you have a purpose for choosing this college or if it is just because you have to do that from somewhere. You can try putting points about how your research and study can facilitate the college or university to get some brownie points (If it applies to your course study).
In this section of the essay, you will mainly talk about your professional aims for your career. The main motive of the committee is to understand your goal and how you are working toward it. This includes:
The next section of your essay is, again, a crucial one as it talks about the source of funds. In this section, the applicant must mainly highlight the point of source for his finances. Studying abroad in a country like Canada is not easy either. So, to get a Statement of Purpose (SOP full form in the Visa process), you need to convince them that you have enough finances to survive in the host country for the duration of the program. This way, the company wants to ensure that you are eligible and can afford this study program. So, make sure to draft it carefully with all required details and only accurate and right information.
The last section of the SOP is the conclusion. In this section, you need to wrap up your essay by highlighting all important pointers of the essay. Here, you've to restate your purpose, emphasize your aim, and put forward your plan of action to fulfil that. The applicant can also discuss his expectations from this program and the country and express his gratitude to the university and committee for giving him this opportunity. Remember that the conclusion is your last chance to leave a good impression, so add a proper hook at the end.
Since you now have all the information about the guidelines, requirements, and format for writing an SOP for Canada study Visa, let's look into the step-by-step process to draft an impressive one, as shared by the experts:
The very first step in the process of writing the SOP is understanding the requirements. In this blog, you've already looked into the generic requirements for university-specific and program-specific guidelines; for more information, you can reach out to the university page.
The next step of the process is to look closely into the program and university to justify the SOP. You can research them from their official website or reach out to their alumni students to understand that in detail.
Once you've what you need, it's time to set some goals of what you want from your SOP. That means it should be clear whether you want it to sound more academic, professional, graduate, post-graduate, or something other than this. You can take guidance from professionals to get a better idea of how to plan your SOP for Canada student Visa.
Now, it's time you sit down and prepare an outline for the SOP. This is where you decide how it looks and should look. Make a proper note of all points that should be covered and which point should be written in which section of the document. This way, you will have a clear idea about the structure of your SOP so that you can maintain a good flow of information.
The final step of the process is to write down the SOP, edit it ruthlessly, and then proofread it before submission. Moreover, you can stick to the shared guidelines to draft one and get help from peers to edit and proofread it for you. But, it is not so simple- however, applicants can count on our experts to help them draft impressive pieces that get approved in one go.
These are the five simple steps to draft an SOP for student Visa in Canada. Now, let us look into some insider insights to help you get your Statement Of Purpose drafted in no time. Read the below section to get all the details.
In this section of the blog, let's take a look at some SOP samples for Canada that can help you understand how to draft one. You can also check out some professional tips from experts on how the Canadian Visa stands apart from other visas here. So, let's get started!
The sample SOP for Canada student Visa attached here can help you with the following pointers, so go through them carefully to not miss out on any detail:
Also Read: How to Write the Perfect SOP for UK Student Visa?
Here are some tips that an applicant must follow to get his SOP for Canada approved in the first attempt. These tips are shared by professionals who have already tried and tested them. So, let's check them out!
In this section, you can take a look at how the SOP for a Canadian study Visa is different from any other. There are two bases to differentiate it, and they are:
| Canada Study SOP | Canada Immigartion SOP |
|---|---|
| Its purpose is to get admission to a Canadian college/university. | It’s purpose is to get the permission to stay in Canada. |
| Its target audience is the University Admission Committee. | Its target audience is the Canadian Visa Committee. |
| It requires in-depth discussion on academic background and relevant work experience. | It requires a brief academic background and detailed work experience to reflect financial stability |
| It should emphasize on academic journey. | It should emphasize obliging immigration laws. |
| It should be academic and professional in tone. | It should be formal and straightforward in tone. |
| SOP of Canada | SOP of Other Countries |
|---|---|
| More inclined towards practical experience | More inclined towards theoretical learning |
| Important to discuss immigration plans in it | It has less emphasis on immigration plans |
| It is professional and friendly in tone | It is formal in tone (In general) |
| It includes personal adaptability | It varies widely on multiple factors |
| It focuses on community and inclusiveness | It varies from country to country |
In the above sections of this blog, we've looked into the fundamentals of an SOP to study in Canada, how to draft one, tips and guidelines to do so, and a sample. In the next section, you'll look into the case of visa rejection and how to reapply for SOP post-rejection.
The scariest part of the process or the nightmare for students who are applying to study abroad in Canada is getting their SOP rejected. Yes, this shatters the motivation and dreams of many. But you need not bother as the best in the field are here to help you. Before you reapply for the same, here's something you need to know!
First, you need to understand why your SOP got rejected. So, here are some probable reasons why it might have happened:
Secondly, you need to know the process of re-application and just go for it. But while you do so, follow these simple steps for the best results:
Finally, the last thing to remember is to know what to do and what not to do when you are reapplying for the SOP because you might not get another chance. Since SOP plays a crucial role in your study abroad journey, you need to make sure it is perfect, if not the first time, at least now so as not to miss out on the opportunity. So, check out these pointers:
| Do’s | Don’ts |
|---|---|
| Analyze the feedback before you jump into editing | Do not submit the same SOP with minor changes |
| Add more specificity to the pointers in SOP | Do not give vague information in it |
| Update information with new achievements | Do not exaggerate or lie about any skills |
| Maintain a positive tone and show growth approach | Do not be overly verbose or boast about yourself |
| Seek feedback and work on constructive criticism | Do not avoid previously made mistakes or errors |
This is all an applicant needs to know about the SOP for Canada to study at any renowned university. In this blog, the professionals have shared complete details and fundamental information about everything that can even help a beginner draft an impressive Statement Of Purpose. However, if you're stuck or need professional guidance, feel free to reach out to our experts, who have been in this field for ages and know how to help you with it. So, waste no time and reach out to us now for the best SOP in minutes.
You need 2 SOPs to get a Canadian study visa where 1 will be submitted to the university, and the other will be submitted to the Visa officials. However, you can also submit the same SOP in both places to save on your time but make sure to justify all sections well.
Depending on the type of the SOP, you've to draft the essay. An ideal SOP is one within 1-2 pages, with 12-point font, double spacing, and within the specified word limit. It should be original, error-free, and emphasize stating the purpose clearly.
You are required to draft an SOP when you want to get admission to any prestigious college or university abroad. This is a piece of writing the committee relies on to analyze your skills, academic performance, and professional goals, based on which it states whether you are eligible to study overseas or not.
Here are a few important pointers you need to consider when you're drafting an impressive SOP to get it approved in one go:
1. Introduction with a Hook
2. Strong Academic and Professional Forte
3. Specific Future Goals and Plans to Achieve It
4. Proof of Financial Stability to Study in Canada
5. Brief Conclusion with Aim, Purpose, and Plans
If you want to write the best SOP, then follow some simple tricks while keeping track of the deadline and quality:
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